The present invention relates generally to improvements in dispensers for liquid soap, and specifically to the provision of a novel dispenser housing and a novel soap container for use therein.
The present invention is an improvement upon the applicant's prior soap dispenser as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,018,363 granted Apr. 19, 1977. In the prior soap dispenser, a shiftable lever was disposed below the dispenser housing and actuated the pump in the dispenser housing when the lever was pulled forwardly. It has been found that pulling the lever forwardly is not always convenient, for often it is more convenient for a user to put the palm of his hand on a member or even his forearm or elbow. Therefor the present invention provides a large contact area for the user to actuate the soap pump, the contact area being satisfactorily operated by the users fingers, palm, forearm, elbow or any other portion of the body.
Other patents showing various actuators for liquid soap pumps are U.S. Pat. No. 3,726,442 granted Apr. 10, 1973 to Davidson et al. and French Patent No. 1,278,449 granted Oct. 30, 1961. Although the actuators for the pumps of these dispensers might be actuated by parts of the body other than the finger, the trigger areas are very small and are not readily actuated by a palm, forearm or elbow of the user..
The above named patents also show various containers for liquid soap useful in the dispensers, but none would be useful in the dispenser of the present invention.